1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage-access apparatus for storing products and a storage system thereof, and more particularly, to a storage-access apparatus and a storage system thereof run independently for storage-access operations and as such, lowering cost and raising storage-access accuracy can be achieved.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, ultra-low temperature storage apparatuses are normally run under an ultra-low temperature environment (such as liquid nitrogen at −196° C.), mostly for storing biocells or body fluids, such as cord blood, bone marrow, placenta, embryo, sperm, and ovum. However, since the use of specimens for cord blood, bone marrow, placenta, embryo, sperm, or ovum is not considerably immediate, an ultra-low temperature storage apparatus for storing the specimens over a long period of time becomes necessary. Biotechnology has been developed rapidly in recent decades and in particular, because the cord blood contains abundant stem cells, it has been widely adopted in therapy. The issue of cord blood deposit has been receiving a lot of attention.
Nowadays, there are several kinds of storage tanks for being used by cord blood banks, for example, 1) conventional liquid nitrogen storage tanks (MVE, Tayler-Wharton); and 2) automatic mechanical storage tanks (TG BioArchieve System).
Conventionally, liquid nitrogen storage tanks relate to an open-lid type, where specimens contained in the storage tanks are stacked up in cartridges. To the effect, there are several cartridges contained in the storage tanks, whereas a plurality of specimens is stacked in the cartridges. Nevertheless, when an operator wishes to access to one of the specimens, other specimens frozen in the same cartridge will be taken out together. This would possibly affect activity of cells on the specimens because of temperature being changed abruptly. Moreover, since the liquid nitrogen storage tanks are of open-lid type, upon proceeding with storage and access actions, such a design of open-lid type will make moisture on surface of the liquid nitrogen become condensed. As a result, the labeling of specimens is concealed by condensation, and accuracy and speed of the storage and access are greatly affected.
The mechanical storage tank (BioArchieve System) relates to an automatic storage tank using hooks of robotic arms to hang the specimens on wall of the storage tank. Because the mechanical storage tank can perform the storage and access actions independently, the specimens at other storage positions would not be affected. In view of the fact that the BioArchieve System employs the hooking measure to store the specimens, the specimens may fall to bottom of the storage tank when the storage tank rocks and the specimens swing. Based on this ground, when the specimens are stored with this measure, the storage tank is, in principle, not allowed to be delivered or rocked in a great extent. Moreover, when the robotic arms are manipulated, moving upward or downward of the robotic arms will make moisture in the air permeate into joints of the robotic arms which are then frosted. The thus-impeded robotic arms, when manipulated, will produce relatively high frictional resistance, or even fail. Besides, the BioArchieve System relies on a computer for operation control, where electrical power is consumed, and after long-term use, precision electronic components may be damaged. In particular, the BioArchieve System is quite complex in design, and as such, high costs incurred in purchase and maintenance are the disadvantage.